Beyonce Cuts Kelly Out of the Picture

1/17/2014 10:00 AM PST

Beyonce Cuts Kelly Rowland Out of the Picture ... In Aaliyah Tribute

Beyonce has cut Kelly Rowland out of her life -- and it was truly the unkindest cut of all.

Check out this photo (above) Beyonce posted on Instagram last night ... in honor of Aaliyah's 35th birthday.

But here's what you don't see ... Kelly Rowland ... who was in the pic when it was snapped in 2001 at the MTV Movie Awards, mere months before Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash.

Kelly posted the original photo on Instagram hours before Beyonce. Then Beyonce reposted it in black and white, completely cropping Kelly out of the pic ... and putting herself smack in the middle of the shot.